jobless benefits

Initial jobless claims fell 11,000 to 445,000, in the week ending Oct 2. The revised figure for the previous week was 456,000.
The four-week moving average, a clearer measure of unemployment trends, fell 3,000 to 455,750, the Department of Labor said. The revised average for the previous week was 458,750.

Initial jobless claims fell 3,000 to 450,000 in the week ending Sept. 11. The revised figure for the previous week was 453,000
The four-week moving average, a clearer measure of unemployment trends, fell 13,500 to 464,750 the Department of Labor said. The revised average for the previous week was 478,250.

Initial jobless claims fell 31,000 to 473,000 in the week ending Aug. 21. The revised figure for the previous week was 504,000.
The four-week moving average, a clearer measure of unemployment trends, rose by 3,250 to 486,750, the Department of Labor said. The revised average for the previous week was 483,500.

Initial jobless claims rose 2,000 to 484,000 in the week ending Aug.7. The revised figure for the previous week was 482,000.
The four-week moving average, a clearer measure of unemployment trends, rose 14,250 to 473,500. The revised average for the previous week was 459,250, the Department of Labor said in a statement.

As the ranks of independent voters are swelling, a Gallup analysis for DailyFinance reveals that in the last six months, a higher percentage of jobless voters identified themselves as independent than Democrat or Republican at least half of the time. Incumbents, be warned.

While the extension of jobless benefits may pass at some point, there's no doubt that both sides see political gain in keeping bill stalled. Indeed, it seems every major player in the debate has a political agenda that has all but crippled action.

As lawmakers battle over proposals to extend unemployment benefits for long-term jobless workers, economists on both sides weigh in on whether that's an effective way to help get the economy back on track.

Initial jobless claims fell 21,000 to 454,000 in the week ended July 3, suggesting that recovery in the labor market remains sluggish. The revised figure for the previous week was 475,000.
The four-week average of initial claims, a clearer measure of employment trends, dropped 1,250 to 466,000, the Department of Labor said on its website.

The number of Americans submitting first-time claims for jobless benefits rose by 13,000 to 472,000 last week, suggesting the economic recovery may be decelerating.
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast a decline in claims to 455,000.

With his health care insurance overhaul sidelined for the time being, President Obama has turned his focus to lowering the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate. For millions of jobless Americans, that shift comes none to soon.

Fresh data shows the nation's labor market is continuing to improve modestly. The number of people filing new claims for unemployment fell to a seasonally adjusted 432,000 for the week ending Dec. 26, the Labor Department reports, down 22,000 from the previous week's 454,000.